This invention relates in general to electric power buses and reels, and more specifically to those that are adaptable for two wire alternating current (AC hereinafter) devices and for fluorescent lamps. As used herein, the terms "fluorescent lamp", "fluorescent lamps", and "fluorescent light" shall refer to a fluorescent lamp (or light) circuit without a ballast.
In use now are retracting extension cords (used for 110 AC power accessories) and retracting fluorescent lamps. This requires the worker to have two retractable cords at considerable expense.
The limitations of each are obvious: the AC cord cannot be used for a fluorescent lamp (does not have a ballast) and the fluorescent cord cannot be used for power tools (does not have a receptacle and has a ballast wired in line). Also because of the nature of the fluorescent lamp reel, it cannot be extended beyond the fixed length of its manufacture unless it is disconnected from its mounting place and extended with an AC cord before the ballast. This causes the bulky reel assembly to be in the workers way or left dangerously on the floor.
The present invention is an improvement over previous cord lamps in many ways. It doubles as both an extension cord and a lamp. It allows other receptacles free for use. Although the length of the retractable cord is fixed, by adding an extension cord to the outlet both the extension cord and the fluorescent lamp can be extended to any length without removing the unit from its fixed position. A fluorescent lamp in a plastic shield is used instead of an incandescent lamp, because it is more shock proof and resistant to explosion when subject to water. The cord reel itself is shock-proof because of being designed to ground through flexible contacts instead of the case as with previously designed units.